Stop the rockets, stop the settlements

[Tonic]

how much is Jerusalem worth to the Israelis and palestinians?

Jerusalem has huge religious significance for both communities, but as the saying goes, "possession is 9/10 of the law". For the Israeli's they won't negotiate that, but what I think would be possible would be an agreement for free access to the holy sites

 

[LowDown]

This piece from what I'm told from Israeli friends has been paywalled, but the author of it put it up on his blog for free, and I thought it was spot on.



Read more @: Stop the rockets, stop the settlements - | Eric Yoffie

I think this piece is spot on. If peace wants to be found firstly Gaza militants need to stop the action of firing rocket after rocket into Gaza. They serve no purpose what so ever. They terrify the Israelis, they cause little damage, and do nothing to further the Palestinian cause. Secondly Israel needs to stop expanding settlements. It has support from almost no one over seas, and it further antagonizes the Palestinians and their future state.
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No concession made by Israel has ever been reciprocated by the Palestinians that I know of. Stopping settlements won't stop the rockets.

 

[Ikari]

This piece from what I'm told from Israeli friends has been paywalled, but the author of it put it up on his blog for free, and I thought it was spot on.



Read more @: Stop the rockets, stop the settlements - | Eric Yoffie

I think this piece is spot on. If peace wants to be found firstly Gaza militants need to stop the action of firing rocket after rocket into Gaza. They serve no purpose what so ever. They terrify the Israelis, they cause little damage, and do nothing to further the Palestinian cause. Secondly Israel needs to stop expanding settlements. It has support from almost no one over seas, and it further antagonizes the Palestinians and their future state.
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Yes, it will require both sides to grow up and start thinking of their People, to stop aggression and to recognize the humanity and sovereignty of the other. I'm not sure we'll ever see that as reality though, neither side seems interested in sustained peace.

 

[anatta]

During #Ceasefires, do #Hamas & #IDF prefer #Coke or #Pepsi?

https://twitter.com/MindOfMo/status/493075706193006592

I post this not to mock, but thought it clever. I read this persons tweets often, a good writer ( not me)

 

[ecofarm]

As long as the rockets continue, I'm pretty ok with the settlements. If the rockets stopped (for a significant period, with evidence of government opposition to rocket firing), I would support an end to settlements. If Palestinians were represented by a democratic regime intent on development and peace, I might be talking about Israel vacating settlements, thus giving modern infrastructure to the Palestinian people.

Unfortunately, as in the case with the greenhouses (left as a development incentive) the current PA would just tear it down, preferring chaos. That's not likely to change until human rights come to Palestine. After civil, labor and environmental rights, I might be arguing for original borders to be restored.

 

[TheDemSocialist]

No concession made by Israel has ever been reciprocated by the Palestinians that I know of. Stopping settlements won't stop the rockets.

I can name several.

1.)Fatah ending armed struggle
2.)Agreeing that Israel does have the right to exist
3.)Recognizing Israels right to exist
4.)Agreeing to negotiate on the basis of the 1967 borders

 

[LowDown]

I can name several.

1.)Fatah ending armed struggle
2.)Agreeing that Israel does have the right to exist
3.)Recognizing Israels right to exist
4.)Agreeing to negotiate on the basis of the 1967 borders

They seem to have reneged on, well, all 4 of these. Some Palestinian authority might have recognized Israel's right to exist. I don't think Hamas ever did.

 

[iguanaman]

`
How long has Israel and Palestine been shooting at each other? Even if the settlements were stopped, this would not end the conflict. One of my more progressive friends has given up in the conflict. The Palestinians deliberately put rocket launchers next to houses, school and hospitals hoping to to capitalize on world opinion that children are getting killed when they are shot at by Israeli's defending their own people. Sorry....no sympathy anymore.

Some nihilists would just as soon flatten the entire area out with nukes but I would be very much against that.

The culprit here is Saudi Arabia, a capitalistic friend of the US, that is funding this carnage. They need to be brought to justice.
`

Actually it is Iran that funds Hamas and makes many of the rockets used against Israel. The use of civilians as human shields is a tactic that brings more recruits from the families of the dead and injured who are inevitably targeted by Israel. Settlements only serve to remind the Palestinians that Israel is not ever likely to agree to a state fopr them. It is a vicious circle that must be broken.

 

[Sababa]

Here is the thing.
1. What exactly is the problem with the settlements if that area will become the Palestinian state. I mean the people who are saying Israel should just stop fighting back seem to think that the world will be covered in peace and love if Israel just stops fighting back. So why not have Jewish settlements under PA authority?

2. When Israel pulled out of Gaza and the Sinai, both times they withdrew their settlers. In Gaza with the use of force. How did Hamas respond?

It is clear, if Gaza wants the war to end then hand over Hamas....it is simple.

If Israel stops fighting there will be no Israel, If Hamas stops fighting there will be no war.

 

[blarg]

Here is the thing.
1. What exactly is the problem with the settlements if that area will become the Palestinian state. I mean the people who are saying Israel should just stop fighting back seem to think that the world will be covered in peace and love if Israel just stops fighting back. So why not have Jewish settlements under PA authority?

2. When Israel pulled out of Gaza and the Sinai, both times they withdrew their settlers. In Gaza with the use of force. How did Hamas respond?

It is clear, if Gaza wants the war to end then hand over Hamas....it is simple.

If Israel stops fighting there will be no Israel, If Hamas stops fighting there will be no war.

what makes you think Israel is going to hand over control of the settlements? also the problem of the displacement of Palestinians on and around where the settlements were built

 

[Sababa]

what makes you think Israel is going to hand over control of the settlements? also the problem of the displacement of Palestinians on and around where the settlements were built

what makes me think that? History. Israel has dismantled settlements twice. So there is that.
As for the displacement......please be specific.